Pakistan expected to add 5-60 million to its urban population by 2030

Urban planners, environmentalists and development experts have stressed on the need for developing viable plans for well-planned towns and cities so as to make them sustainable engines for economic growth.

Experts pointed out that expanding towns and cities due to urbanisation are posing serious risks to the existing infrastructures in urban centres. It has become a daunting challenge for urban planners to ameliorate the ailing infrastructures and make them climate-resilient to survive future possible climate change-induced natural disasters.

They were addressing members of civil society organisations and officials of government departments and ministries on the occasion of the World Habitat Day 2012. The Federal Ministry of Climate Change, in collaboration with the UN-Habitat, marked the event under the theme of ‘Changing Cities, Building Opportunities’.

The United Nations has designated the first Monday of October every year as the World Habitat Day (WHD). This year, the day was celebrated on October 1 throughout the world, including Pakistan, by the UN-Habitat.

Addressing the participants, Federal Ministry of Climate Change Secretary Mahmood Alam said that cities are growing at a fast pace and aspirations of the nations are visible in large metropolitan cities.

The cities have emerged to be the hub of production of goods, services, trade and business as well as technological advancement. However, it has become palpable that modern trends in economies and information technologies are steering cities towards sites of innovative production and knowledge, he remarked.

He said, “Urban enterprises, industries and transport sector are the key sources of greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions of poisonous gases in the atmosphere have contributed in rapid temperature rise and become cause of torrential rainfalls with increasing intensity during the last two decades.”

The federal secretary told participants that Pakistan by 2030 would have approximately 55 to 60 million population added to its urban areas. And, the growing urbanisation would lead the cities to play exceeding important role in the national uplift. Given the realisation, it is felt that surging urbanisation and industrialisation will place urban environments under virulent pressures.

Talking about government’s sensitivity to this grim foreseeable scenario, Mahmood Alam said that the government has hammered out the ‘New Growth Strategy’, which stresses on creative cities as places of culture, learning, harmony, productivity, efficiency, creativity and equity for ensuring sustainable development.

The National Climate Change Policy, which has been approved by the federal cabinet on September 26 this year, provides recommendations for sustainable urbanisation and measures to tackle with emerging climate challenges, he recounted.

He further said, “The federal cabinet, while approving the policy, has desired to create Islamabad as climate change-resilient model city and this initiative will help other cities of the country to follow suit.”

Planning Commission of Pakistan Deputy Chairman Dr. Nadeem said the cities are increasingly becoming places of attraction and meeting places for industrialists, scientists, technologists, traders and businessmen to share their problems and discuss possible solutions to their common socio-economic problems.

He underlined the need to build new cities and manage them in way that they would be climate-resilient, centres of equal socio-economic opportunities for every one and brim with sound basic life amenities.

Ministry of Climate Change Director-General (Environment) Jawaid Ali Khan urged the business leaders, corporate sector to join hands with the government to improve basic life amenities and services in cities.

Those who also spoke on the occasion included Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Pakistan, Timo Pakkala, Country Programme Management of the UN-Habitat in Pakistan Siamak Moghaddam, former Senator Saadia Abbasi, Peshawar University Regional Planning Department Chairman Dr Amir Khan and Heritage Foundation Chairperson Yasmeen Lari.

Source  http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-135403-Pakistan-expected-to-add-5-60-million-t

Teachers launch massive rally against SU VC, education minister

The Sindh University Teachers Association (SUTA) with joint support of Sindh Chapter of Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA), Sindh Professors & Lecturers Association (SPLA), Government School Teachers Association (GSTA), Primary Teachers Association (PTA), Sindh University Shadow Student Union, Sindh Chapter of Pakistan Medication Association (PMA) and Center for Peace & Civil Society (CPCS) arranged a rally from Sindh University Old Campus to Press Club Hyderabad.

In the protest program leaders, activists and supporters of many political parties including Sindh Taraqi Passand Party (STP), Awami Jhamoori Party (AJP), Labor Party Sindh, Communist Party and some other people’s organizations took part actively.

Participants of the rally gathered at Sindh University Old Campus at 12 noon and marched towards Hyderabad Press Club raising the slogans demanding immediate replacement of controversial SU VC Nazir Mughul, arrest of the killers of Prof Channar, restoration of student unions and immediate deweaponization of the campus.

The rally was addressed by leaders of teaches associations including Prof Muhammad Usman Keerio, Dr Azhar Ali Shah, Dr Arfana Mallah, Prof Suresh Kumar, Prof Liaqat Aziz, Mr Zameer Ahmed and Mr Rafqiue Ahmed Jarwar. On behalf of civil society organizations, renowned intellectual Mr Jami Chandio and representatives of the above organizations also shared their views.

The speakers criticized the role of Sindh Education Minister Mr Pir Mazharul Haq in becoming the party of the controversial VC Nazir Mughul and issuing threats to academics that are raising voice against the injustice. They said by doing so Pir Mazhar is not only insulting the university teaching community, students and employees but the civil society, the intelligentsia, the socio-political parties and all the people of Sindh in general who are supporting teachers demands aimed at the betterment of the educational environment at the University of Sindh.

The speakers strongly condemned the atrocities of controversial VC Nazir Mughul inflicted on university teachers by using police and Rangers. They said since a couple of days, Nazir Mughul had ordered police mobiles to be parked at the main gate of the administration block (AC-II) where teachers used to observe their peaceful protest. The police are deliberately confronting the teachers and resisting them from observing the protest. They warned that the voice of Sindh University Teachers and their representatives can’t be suppressed by use of any force; however, these tactics played by Nazir Mughul will tremendously tarnish the image and reputation of the University of Sindh as the protest will further grow at the massive level across Sindh and Pakistan with the joint support of all the participants of today’s rally.

The speakers demanded the Sindh Chief Minister, the Chancellor, the Chairperson HEC, the Prime Minister and the President of Pakistan to take serious note of the worsening situation at the University of Sindh owing to record maladministration, corruption, nepotism, cronyism, mismanagement and inefficiency of the incumbent retired controversial Vice-Chancellor Nazir Mughul coupled with undue and illegal interference of Pir Mazharul Haq. Immediate action must be taken for removal of Nazir Mughul and appointment of a person with sound integrity and academic excellence as new vice-chancellor as per HEC criteria besides the implementation of other demands. Any delay in this regard could further disturb the academic activities in the public sector institutes of education from primary schools to University level across Sindh.

The BMW M3 Coupe Lime Rock Park Edition

BMW of North America today announced the 2013 M3 Coupe Lime Rock Park Edition, of which 200 copies will be built this summer. Priced from $70,995 including $895 Destination and Handling, the M3 Coupe Lime Rock Park Edition will be “…a classic car for a classic track,” as described by Skip Barber, owner of the historic Lime Rock Park racing circuit located in northwestern Connecticut.

BMW and Lime Rock Park have collaborated on the M3 Coupe Lime Rock Park Edition to celebrate the longstanding relationship between BMW automobiles, the famed Lime Rock Park racing circuit, and the thousands of passionate drivers and fans who join them together. Deliveries are planned to begin this September.

The BMW M3 Coupe Lime Rock Park Edition will be constructed on the foundation of the iconic BMW M3 Coupe, now in its fourth generation, with enhancements selected through collaboration with Skip Barber and Lime Rock Park. Each car will be painted in rare Fire Orange and features Anthracite and Black cloth seating with Nappa leather trim. The popular Competition Package is fitted, and the M3’s signature carbon fiber composite roof panel will be retained on all copies produced. Also in the standard equipment profile will be a lightweight inconel-titanium exhaust muffler, carbon fiber front and rear aerodynamic aids, and an Anthracite Alcantara-covered, flat-bottom steering wheel. Finally, each M3 Coupe Lime Rock Park Edition will be quickly identified by a numbered plaque located on the center console, a unique decal on the left-rear quarter window, and a certificate of authenticity.

California-based racing driver Bill Auberlen, whose career has been synonymous with the BMW brand in America for 17 years and includes over 300 professional races in BMW cars, joined Skip Barber and Lime Rock Park management on July 3rd, 2012 to evaluate the prototype of the M3 Coupe Lime Rock Park Edition on the famed 1.5-mile circuit. Just a few days before starting his 100th American Le Mans Series race at Lime Rock Park, Auberlen remarked, “A race car is never allowed to be perfect. It’s the job of the driver to constantly suggest improvements and find more speed. But the M3 Lime Rock Park Edition may be as close to perfect as you can get, right off the production line. From its great color to the flawless manners it showed on the track, for the first time I can say I might not change a thing.”

The balanced, linear driving dynamics of the BMW M3 Coupe are often described as a perfect match for the challenging Lime Rock Park circuit. As described by track owner Skip Barber:

“A newcomer looks at the track map and thinks, ‘Oh, this is easy.’ It’s not. Lime Rock is an extremely difficult track to drive quickly. It has three of what many drivers think are some of the most challenging corners in North America: The Uphill, West Bend and The Downhill,” Barber said. “There are tricky cambers, extreme elevation changes, very high speeds… all Lime Rock signatures since it opened 55 years ago. And the BMW M3 Coupe Lime Rock Park Edition, when equipped with the six-speed manual, is geared perfectly – and I mean perfectly – for the track. I agree with Bill: I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Lime Rock Park is one of America’s most recognized road racing venues and has been continuously operated since its opening in 1957. Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places by the National Park Service, the track is 1.5 miles in length, encompassing seven corners and more than seven stories of elevation change. The track is considered one of the most beautiful –and challenging to drive – in the world, constructed in a natural valley in the Berkshire Mountains of extreme northwest Connecticut. More information can be found at limerock.com.

Source  http://www.bmwblog.com/2012/07/06/the-bmw-m3-coupe-lime-rock-park-edition/

North High jumps into effort to break world jumping jacks record

Students from two physical education classes at Denver's North High School will jump into national effort to break the Guinness World Record​ for the largest number of people doing jumping jacks in a 24 hour period.

To break the record, more than 20,425 people must do a solid minute of jumping jacks sometime between 1 p.m. Tuesday and 1 p.m. Wednesday. North students will get their jump going at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

The record-breaking work is sponsored by National Geographic Kids and First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! project to encourage better nutrition and fitness among kids.

"We're kicking off Michelle Obama's Let's Move in schools and supporting Colorado House Bill 1069 passed this summer," said Jeff Taylor, chairman of the Governor's Council for Physical Fitness in Colorado. "Doing jumping jacks is great because no equipment is needed. We hope it shows kids they can do something active and fun, like breaking a Guinness World Record."

The event is organized and supported by the Colorado Governor's Council for Physical Fitness, Colorado Association For Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance and the Colorado Special Olympics.

It's not too late to organize a jump of your own. Find the details and rules at National Geographic Kids: kidsblogs.nationalgeographic.com/letsjump/organize-an-event.html.

Source http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_19082396

Civil society's double standards exposed

Two recent incidents, one in Lahore and the other in Kerala, have virtually been ignored by the national media. And the utter indifference of the self-proclaimed civil society to these incidents has brought to fore the double standards it has been practising for long. For them, it is the religious complexion of either the victim or the perpetuator of the crime, or both, that determines their response. The values they profess to uphold and fight for are subordinate to their ideological agenda. Could there be a bigger farce in public discourse?

On July 14, goons belonging to the Church of South India (CSI), and the police belaboured mediapersons at the diocesan headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram for exposing the illegal admission of students in the church’s medical college in return for million of rupees as capitation fee. At least three mediapersons from two TV channels had to be hospitalised. Under public pressure, the state Government was forced to suspend two policemen, including an assistant police sub inspector, for colluding with the miscreants and attacking the newsmen. The gang, which thrashed the Asianet News TV at the diocesan office premises included the church staff and a member of the Thiruvananthapuram district Congress Committee. After beating the mediapersons, the church employees destroyed their camera and stole the tapes that had the visuals of the attack. When other journalists turned up to help their colleagues and demand action against the goons, they were met with more violence. The local media has been writing about the underhand dealings of the church-run medical college for some time, but without any tangible results.

Students with abysmal academic records and deep pockets have been granted admission under the management quota. Obviously the dreams of more meritorious students, whose parents could not afford millions, did not count with the church. Some students who had gained admission in exchange for moolah ranked below 47,000 in the common entrance examination held by the government.

Did you see any nation-wide uproar over this? Was there any protest in Delhi against the attack on the media? Why this deafening silence on the part of rent-a-cause civil society activists? What would have been their reaction if such a deplorable incident had taken place in an organisation run by a Hindu trust and worse still, in a state ruled by the BJP?

The secularists would have painted the town red and the national TV channels would have debated 24X7 the danger posed by the ‘Hindu Right’ to the democracy and widespread corruption in the institutions run by the Hindus. Rationalists and secularists of various hues would have forcefully argued for the state takeover of the guilty institution. By now, irrepressible Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh would have led the secular pack against “fascist Hindus” and linked the attack on media and the admission scam with his favourite target, the RSS.

In Pakistan on July 14, the miniscule Sikh community was barred from organising a religious ceremony to commemorate an 18th century saint at a historical gurudwara. Their musical instruments were thrown out and entry barred at the instance of Dawat-e-Islam, a Barelvi proselytising group. Gurudwara Shaheed Bhai Taru Singh at Naulakha Bazar was built to honour the memory of Bhai Taru who was executed in 1745 on the orders of the then Mughal governor of Punjab, Zakaria Khan, for his refusal to convert to Islam.

This is not an isolated instance of persecution of Hindu-Sikh population in an Islamic Pakistan. It’s part of the country’s state policy. No wonder, the share of Hindus and Sikhs has fallen to 1.5 per cent of the total population from about 20 per cent at the time of Partition. But have you ever seen secularists protesting against this ethnic cleansing? They are too busy protecting the rights of Palestinians and have no time for the next door hapless Hindus and Sikhs. Why such double standards?

Source http://expressbuzz.com/opinion/columnists/civil-societys-double-standards-exposed/297201.html

Innocent man and his family members were tortured by police officers at the behest of a third party

According to the information received by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Mr. George Jayakody (55) of No: 24, Kundalagama, Kundasale, Kandy is married and the father of two sons. Mr. Jayakody decided to sell his house and move to Kandy and accordingly advertised that his house was for sale.

On 23 September 2008 Ms. Chandra Kumari Madawala from Galaha came to meet Mr. Jayakody and expressed her interest to buy the house. Then both parties came to an agreement on the purchase of the property. In accordance with the agreement Ms. Chandra paid an advance of Rs. 50,000/= to reserve the house which was valued to be worth Rs. 1.5 Million and promised to pay the balance by the end of the year. However, she failed to fulfill her obligation in accordance with the agreement and requested for a further six months to settle the agreement.

However in June 2009 she informed Mr. Jayakody of her inability to pay the balance and requested that the deposit she had paid earlier be returned. This was strictly in variance with the terms and conditions of the contract. Mr. Jayakody replied that he wanted her to come to the lawyer's office (who wrote the agreement) to have a conversation on the legal issues and settled the matter. Meanwhile Ms. Chadra contacted the officers of the Manikhinna Police Station where her Brother-in-Law was stationed and tried to obtain their assistance to get her deposit back from Mr. Jayakody.

As a result, the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Manikhinna Police Station called Mr. Jayakody and threatened him to return the money immediately. In response Mr. Jayakody explained the terms and conditions of the legal agreement to the OIC.

However, ignoring the legal ramifications of the contract the OIC called Mt. Jayakoday to the police station in September 2009 along with Ms. Chandra and once again threatened him to hand over the money before the 31 December 2009.

Despite being fully correct under the terms of the contract Mr. Jayakoday consulted his lawyer and asked him to inform Ms. Chandra that he would repay the deposit in three installments. This was informed to Ms. Chandra in a letter dated 14 December 2009.

In the meantime the OIC continued to threaten Mr. Jayakoday. On the 31 December 2009 at around 4 pm Chandra came in a van with her Brother-in-Law, police officers from the Manikhinna Police Station, his brother who is an Air Force officer, some family members and about eight unidentified persons believed to be notorious criminals. This gang assaulted Mr. Jayakoday, his wife and their two sons severely with boots & poles and damaged the furniture of the house. They broke the windows and severely damaged the property. The police from the same station arrived at the scene in answer to a call from Mr. Jayakody but, not surprisingly, they did not take any action to initiate an investigation or arrest any suspect.

Mr. Jayakoday's wife was severely injured and three of her fingers were fractured and her spine was injured during the assault. The son Madushan was also severely beaten and was warded at the Kandy Teaching Hospital for 2 days from the 31 December 2009 to 2 January 2010. As Mr. Jayakoday's wife, Pearly, was not able get urgent surgery at the Kandy Teaching Hospital she was transferred to the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital. She eventually underwent an operation for her injuries.

Mr. Jaykody states that as a police officer, the Brother-in-Law of Ms. Chandra assaulting him and his family members in his official capacity this constitutes the crime of torture under the CAT Act, Act No: 22 of 1994.

Although Mr. Jayakody made complaints to the Police Station of Manikhinna no action was taken by the police until February 2010. At that time Mr. Jayakoday complained to the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and the Superintendent of Police (SP) of the Kandy Police Station. Several weeks later he learned that when the senior police officers inquired of the Manikhinna Police on their inaction and disrespect of the law and the Departmental Orders their reply was that the matter was settled.

Then Mr. Jayakody complained to the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) on 3 February 2010 regarding the incident during a 'Dayata Kirula Exhibition' (where a mobile reporting police service was offered). As a result the police officers filed a case in the Magistrate's Court of Panvila. But Mr. Jayakody leaned that even in the court the OIC of the Manikhinna Police had not properly reported the incident and details of the crimes committed by the perpetrators including his own officers. Mr. Jayakody states that the report of the OIC was intended to mislead the court and bring his complaints to an end by the use of judicial process.

Mr. Jayakody and his family feel that the OIC of the Manikhinna Police Station and other police officers acted contrary to the law by violating their fundamental rights. Further these police officers used their public office and official capacities to fulfill the whims and fancies of a private party (Ms. Chandra). Furthermore, Chandra's Brother-in-law used his official powers to suppress the legal proceedings and assault innocent civilians living in his division.

Further, Mr. Jayakody states that the OIC of the Manikhinna Police and the senior police officers ignored their official responsibilities in failing to provide legal redress to a victim of a crime. Instead they worked to protect the wrong doers provided them with impunity. Therefore Mr. Jayakody calls for an independent inquiry into the matter.

Source http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-116-2011

India's population grows to 1.2 billion

Preliminary census figures show that India grew by 17.6%, gaining 181 million people in a decade, putting it on course to surpass China as the world's most populous nation sometime after 2030.

India's population is now more than 1.2 billion, an increase of 181 million in a decade, putting it on course to surpass China as the world's most populous nation sometime after 2030, according to preliminary census results released Thursday.

Though India's population growth rate slowed significantly to 17.6% over the last decade, putting it on target to double in size in about 50 years, the nation added almost enough people to match the biggest country in South America.

"We have added almost one Brazil to our population in the last one decade," C. Chandramouli, India's census commissioner, told reporters Thursday.

The combined populations of just two states, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, exceed that of the United States.

Continued migration is expected from rural to urban areas, as is a slowing in overall population growth as the economy improves, said K. Srinivasan, professor emeritus at Mumbai's International Institute for Population Sciences.

Another wrinkle is the changing gender breakdown. India has 623 million males and 586 million females, underscoring a continued preference for boys that, activists say, plays out in the abortion of female fetuses and other illegal gender-selection methods. Chandramouli characterized the statistic as "grim."

India now has 914 girls younger than 6 for every 1,000 boys, down from 927 girls to 1,000 boys a decade ago.

"The appearance is that India has a lot of economic growth," said Sudha Sundaram, general secretary of the Delhi-based All India Democratic Women's Assn. "But a large sector, women and those in rural areas, are not gaining."

Because dowry and wedding costs have skyrocketed along with India's booming economy, girls are seen as an even greater burden in many areas, Sundaram said.

Census data show that 74% of Indians are literate, an increase of 10 percentage points from a decade ago.

"This is a welcome step," said Avinash Kumar, a campaigner with Oxfam aid group. "But often if you can write your name, you're considered literate. Many can't write one complete sentence in their mother tongue."

Despite a pledge to spend 6% of its budget on education, the government has spent only 3.1%, analysts said, and many eighth-grade students can't read or do math at first-grade levels. And many teachers can't pass eighth-grade level exams.

"There's a lot of talk of the population dividend of a young population," Kumar said. "If they're not employed usefully, how are you going to compete on the global stage vis-a-vis China? Obviously you don't have the productive muscle."

Conducting the census was a mammoth task in its own right. Training manuals were published in 18 languages as 2.5 million census workers fanned out to 640,000 villages and 7,300 towns and cities. The 10-month exercise grappled with millions of homeless people, Maoist insurgencies and extremely remote locations. Full results are expected in 2012.

A major debate centered on whether to ask for information on castes, which hadn't been done since the 1930s.

According to Hindu teachings, people are born into the caste of their parents, which assigns them a position in the social hierarchy for life. The four broad groupings, in order of status, are: Brahmins, or priests; Kshatriyas, or warriors; Vaisyas, merchants and farmers; and Sudras, manual workers. About 6,000 subcastes are delineated, made even more complicated by regional variations.

Critics feared that census questions about caste would increase caste-based discrimination, which is illegal under the constitution but nevertheless widespread. Newspapers carry pages of classified matrimonial advertisements each weekend listed by caste and sub-caste, often with the not-so-subtle message that so-called lower castes need not apply.

Supporters countered that a mapping of the caste landscape would give a more accurate picture of Indian society and help deliver aid to those most in need, including dalits, or so-called untouchables who fall outside the caste system, and tribal groups.

The governing Congress Party, which for decades had resisted the idea, reversed its position in an apparent bid to placate the many caste-based parties that wield growing clout in national and regional politics, and it was included.

During the last caste-based census, conducted under British rule, respondents tended to inflate their caste in an effort to improve their social status. With so many social programs now aimed at lower castes, experts fear the opposite, namely that people will understate their position to qualify for government benefits.

Source http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-india-census-20110401,0,1602856.story